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An invitation to compassionate patriotism

In the weeks following the terror attacks in Paris, Muslims in America have been targeted, harassed, and have had their lives jeopardized by vigilante groups. Americans have defaced, vandalized, shot at and threatened mosques.

An invitation to compassionate patriotism

In the weeks following the terror attacks in Paris, Muslims in America have been targeted, harassed, and have had their lives jeopardized by vigilante groups. Americans have defaced, vandalized, shot at and threatened mosques. Americans have assaulted and beaten Muslim woman, and Americans have thrown passengers off commercial flights who looked “suspicious,” which too often translates to “of darker skin” or “of Middle Eastern descent.”

American presidential candidates like Donald Trump have added to this frenzy by suggesting that the U.S. blockade any Muslims from entering this country at a time of great need. Trump has even gone so far as to praise the federal government’s internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history and a horrendous example of just how far the fear of the Other can go.

We are writing this because we are frightened for our country. But our fear comes nowhere near the fear that the Muslim Americans in the U.S., whose lives are threatened daily, must feel all across this country.

We realize that many will try to justify the reign of violence through a rhetoric of Americans’ safety, but as we look around us at the effects of this home-grown terrorism - the terrorism of racism, of Islamophobia and xenophobia - that Americans are perpetrating on U.S. soil, we feel we must challenge this notion by asking who exactly we are protecting.

Attacking Muslim women, burning mosques, opening fire on Muslims in prayer - how does this protect Americans? In no way does this prevent us from experiencing attacks like those in Paris. In fact, by acting in violence and hatred and fear, we are sending a powerful message to any of our so-called enemies: Our country prioritizes only certain lives, namely white, Christian and “American-looking” ones. We are also sending a message to our own citizens: You are free only if you look, act, worship and speak like those already in power.

As Quakers, as the children and grandchildren of refugees, and as concerned citizens, we are publishing this piece to ask readers to question our notions of “safety.” This piece is to be a call to action for others who see what we are seeing in the media and feel fear for America’s future as xenophobic candidates are rallying the support of thousands.

This is our moment to speak up and speak with one another. Trump may promise to “make American great again,” but who will it be great for? If it depends upon the deaths of Muslims (through barricading them from the country, through burning and opening fire on their places of worship, through terrorizing the members of this religion, or through forcing them into WWII-esque internment camps), we ask you to seriously consider who you will vote for this coming fall.

This is not just an issue of party lines. This is a plea for the rehabilitation of our collective humanity. Let your vote speak for human decency, dignity and compassion, and show that as a nation we have learned from our mistakes. As young Americans we will do everything we can to make sure that all our citizens, regardless of color or creed, are treated as equals, and that all our citizens are free. We are asking you to do the same.